Web-based Distance Education Issue – Participation ETEC 523 Dandi Wang
Like traditional teaching method, web-based distance education has two participants, instructors and learners. In the distance education, instructor combines technology with his class agenda and instructs students via Internet. To have good participation in the web-based distance education, instructors must be able to use all the technology resources to understand the needs of students. Otherwise, students would have a negative impression on distance education (Valentine, 2002).
However, there are some challenges to students when taking distance education. First, different students have different cognitive and learning styles that would affect their learning ability. According to Valentine (2002), not all the students were suited for distance education, let alone learning subjects. Different ways of instruction should be considered to meet the majority needs of students. Secondly, unlike face-on-face teaching style, not getting immediately responds in distance education has becomes a problem to instructors. Based on McKnight’s opinion (2000), professors couldn’t detect “moments of anxiety” through computer screen. Maybe building a chatting room would be an alternative solution. Students can write down their question and discuss with the professor as soon as the professor sees the pop-up question.
As the other participant of web-based distance education, instructors have some concerns about their role in future education. Valentine (2002) indicated that with instructional skill going to public, people might rely on the material and not spend enough time developing their own skills. As a result, schools may have the chance to recruit less skilled teachers, which might cause bad effect on distance education. Not fully understand the need of students, these less skilled teachers might lose students’ attention and have negative effect on the curriculum. To solve this problem, instructors could setup a password on the materials, only people who have the password can access to the information.
We shall not forget instructors and students with disabilities. Accessibilities should be added to help them participate in the distance education. Software like Jaws can help people who have learning disability easily understand the context of the curriculum. School should provide assistive technology to those people who have need.
The more technology applied in teaching, the better participation there would be.
McKnight, M. (2000). Distance education: Expressing emotions in video-based classes. Paper presented at the Annual meeting of the Conference on College Composition And Communication, Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Eric Document Reproduction Service No. ED 441 270).
Burgstahler, S., Smith, J., & Coombs, N. (2002, March 20). Issues in Accessing Distance Education Technologies for Individuals with disabilities. [Web log post].Retrieved from http://staff.washington.edu/sherylb/summit.html.
ETEC 523
Dandi Wang
Like traditional teaching method, web-based distance education has two participants, instructors and learners. In the distance education, instructor combines technology with his class agenda and instructs students via Internet. To have good participation in the web-based distance education, instructors must be able to use all the technology resources to understand the needs of students. Otherwise, students would have a negative impression on distance education (Valentine, 2002).
However, there are some challenges to students when taking distance education. First, different students have different cognitive and learning styles that would affect their learning ability. According to Valentine (2002), not all the students were suited for distance education, let alone learning subjects. Different ways of instruction should be considered to meet the majority needs of students. Secondly, unlike face-on-face teaching style, not getting immediately responds in distance education has becomes a problem to instructors. Based on McKnight’s opinion (2000), professors couldn’t detect “moments of anxiety” through computer screen. Maybe building a chatting room would be an alternative solution. Students can write down their question and discuss with the professor as soon as the professor sees the pop-up question.
As the other participant of web-based distance education, instructors have some concerns about their role in future education. Valentine (2002) indicated that with instructional skill going to public, people might rely on the material and not spend enough time developing their own skills. As a result, schools may have the chance to recruit less skilled teachers, which might cause bad effect on distance education. Not fully understand the need of students, these less skilled teachers might lose students’ attention and have negative effect on the curriculum. To solve this problem, instructors could setup a password on the materials, only people who have the password can access to the information.
We shall not forget instructors and students with disabilities. Accessibilities should be added to help them participate in the distance education. Software like Jaws can help people who have learning disability easily understand the context of the curriculum. School should provide assistive technology to those people who have need.
The more technology applied in teaching, the better participation there would be.
Reference:
Valentine, D. (2002 Fall). Distance learning: promises, problems, and possibilities. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 5(3). Retrieved from http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/fall53/valentine53.html.
McKnight, M. (2000). Distance education: Expressing emotions in video-based classes. Paper presented at the Annual meeting of the Conference on College Composition And Communication, Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Eric Document Reproduction Service No. ED 441 270).
Burgstahler, S., Smith, J., & Coombs, N. (2002, March 20). Issues in Accessing Distance Education Technologies for Individuals with disabilities. [Web log post].Retrieved from http://staff.washington.edu/sherylb/summit.html.